Almost December

So let's see where I left off...

Weekend of 11/17 and 11/18:

saturday, I traveled to Kutztown, PA with AT to hit a local PA race.   I was taking Sunday off to attend Tracy's CrossFit "King/Queen of the Volcano" tournament so I planned on travelling a bit further to get a race in.   It was an awesome day - mild for late Fall.  Lots of sunshine.   Because of limited races that weekend, it drew a lot of super fast & strong women out to compete.   We had 20 or more racers on the start line-up.   Competition was thick.  I placed 8th I think.  I was happy.  Legs were coming back after Cancun, even better!

Best part of the day:   finding Normal Avenue.  Had to hang there for awhile.  Literally.

Sunday was Tracy's competition.  It consisted of four events.  It was my turn to play cheerleader and go show my support to my favorite CFer!

Event 1:   Prowler Push, 500m row, then shuttle run.  For time.









Event 2:  3x 1 rep max of hang clean.  T lifted some crazy 115 lb or something.  Nearly my weight.  Yeah, nuts.  Followed by a "Atlas Stone" (73lb cement ball) lift and toss over shoulder.   That exercise was max reps in 1 minute.

















Event 3:   jump rope "double unders" - max reps for 2 minutes.  Tracy had been struggling to get the technique down forever.   Never being able to do the movement.  On competition day, she got 13 reps.  Yeah, that's how it starts.  Go T!
 
Event 4:   craycray circuit of something like:

• clean and jerks 95# - 10? can't remember
• 10 burpees?
• 10 deadlifts 95#
• 12 20" box jumps
• 12 GHD situps
• Repeat as many rounds as you can in 10 min, go to you puke! 

That was one crazy arse circuit.  T made me so proud.  She is an amazing women.  Strong, fit and determined.

she placed 7th overall in the women's RX division.  14 women.  Some who have been athletes their whole lives, some who were just getting fit.  Really awesome day.  Really great to see T push so hard and succeed beyond her own expectations.  Is she hooked?  def.  So cool.



Last Sunday was the Taneytown Regional Championship.  Highlights:

• Cold.  but dry.  :)
• Really cold. ;)
• small field of ~10
• legs still felt good
• rode well finished in 5th
• the surprise:   I actually was consistent enough throughout this race series to take the #1 spot in the series.  I won.  Pretty surprised.  Very cool.  Ended up winning by a small margin of 2pts. 

This weekend I'm heading to Rhode Island for the UCI races.

My end of season looks something like:

• 12/1 Rhode Island
• 12/2 Rhode Island
• 12/8 NY
• 12/9 PA
• 12/16 MD (yeah, local!)
• January 2013 - National Races in Wisconsin where I'll be racing in my age category and in the Elite Women's field
• AFTER:   rest time.  Or maybe, I'll just switch to mountain biking.  :)

thanks for reading.

Post Cancun remembering how to race...

Cancun:
So last I wrote I was heading to Cancun for a 3 night 4 day vacation.   Needless to say Cancun was amazing and as most of you already know, Hurricane Sandy ensured we had the full rest and recovery we needed.  We arrived Friday and had planned on departing Monday.   Sandy kept us in Cancun for an extra 2 nights.   Sign from the Universe, maybe?!

Post-Cancun, Back to the Daily Grind:
#1, returning to reality is so freaking hard.   But based on the suggestion of friends/colleagues, it was important to create a safe word.  This safe word would allow them an opportunity to remind me to return to my "vacation calm state." 

When I hear said safe word, I must return to the blissful, Zen-like, peaceful state that I created while in Cancun.   Yeah, sounds easy eh?   So to track my performance post-Cancun, I created two metrics:
1.  How many times was the safe word used?  Ha!
And 2. How long could I maintain the post-Cancun Zenlike state?"

Well all jokes aside, I returned from paradise and I'm doing my best to keep that calm.  Still trying now almost 2 weeks post-Cancun.

1st Race Back:   local race, Patapsco Cross.   Saturday 11/3  (Sunday, I had no race)


 Highlights:

• wearing our C3 halloween skinsuit.  Yes it's colorful!
• Freezing my tuckus off.   From Paradise to 30 degree weather
• Thinking:  "I left my legs in Cancun"
• Thinking:  "Why exactly do I love this racing stuff so much?  Really why do I do this...?  Ha"

Best part of day might have been the lunch and "defrost" my body afterward.

 Thursday 11/8:   best way to re-charge your enthusisam --> BUY A NEW BAD ARSE CROSS BIKE.

 Highlights:
This has been something I was toying with for 2013 but felt it "right" to accelerate this purchase IF my team could find me a 49c frame.  They did. (Of course they did!)  End of story.

HUGE SMILE.
 And yes, my enthusiasm TANK is seriously re-charged!




Full Weekend of Racing:   Yes, Post-Cancun Jen is gone.  Crazy Race Girl Jen is back.  SMILE!  I'll have another opportunity for Cancun Jen, maybe January, right T?

Saturday Fairhill, MD - MAC race:

Highlights:

• new warmup strategy c/o A. :-)
• Brand new bike.  Sweet!
• Why did I change my start strategy and clip my right foot in?  I never do that!  I always use my left foot.  Always.  Must've been distracted by the new bike bling!
• Lois cheering on the sidelines.  Thanks for coming cousin!
• Smiling the ENTIRE last lap of the race.  Priceless.
• Fun pix post-race thanks to Mom!!!
• 12th place finish out of 20 crazy fast ladies.  It was fun.  Legs still aren't quite back from Cancun but they are getting there.
• D's awesome CinBun and pumpkin cookies.  full gluten.  Yes, I am learning to bend some...in the name of sugar and teammates, sometimes you just gotta live!

 Race #2 Sunday, Schooley Mill CX.


Highlights:

• Tracy came to watch!!!!!!!!!!!!!   And cheer and inspire me to work harder!!!!!
• Brand new bike.  Sweet!   Yes the same highlight and had to say it again.  This bike rules!!!!!!!!
• Smaller field but decent start. 
• Found 4th position and held it the entire race to the end.   Tried to chase down JM but just couldn't close that 5-10 second gap.   
• Fun post-race pix with the race-gals.  Makes it fun.
• Post race Great Sage!!!!!
• Loki the Cat entertainment session.   Reminded that I love my "adult" cats.  Kittens are craycray.

And looking forward.   More VO2 intervals this week.  Next time, I must close that gap.